LOW-FREQUENCY SEA-LEVEL VARIABILITY ON THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC BIGHT

Low-frequency sea level fluctuations on the Mid-Atlantic Bight, from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras, and their relations to wind forcing were examined over a one-year period. The dominant sea level fluctuations occurred at time scales of 4 days, and they were coherent over the entire Bight. On the other hand, sea levels were not coherent between the southern and northern part at shorter time scales. Local wind forcing was important from Cape Cod to Cape May; most of the sea level change was driven by the alongshore (northeast-southwest) wind. In addition, the east-west wind set up a large surface slope between Nantucket and Sandy Hook. South of Cape May, the local alongshore wind forcing was dominant at time scales shorter than 3. 3 days (in winter). At longer time scales, contribution from free shelf waves was significant. Refs.